I have switched around here and there BBE, a Boss SD-1, EH LPB1 and I have now been digging my Digitech Hardwire tube overdrive. I like having the ultra clean tone of the guitar to amp, then add a little OD as a boost/color, then for the real hair I use an older MIJ Boss HM-2 in the OBEL, which really is a great distortion pedal for me.

For me, the usual one knob boost pedals add too much high end and can be too "sharp" in my rig. Our rhythm guitar player has an expensive boutique boost pedal I think sounds the same, too many nails on a chalk board for my taste. With having a super clean, loud and high treble rig, the boost pedals push my tone into "the pierce your brain tone" for me, but it sure cuts through the mix.

I like something with more EQ options, I may put my boss EQ to work as a boost soon.

JonnyBoy wrote:I have switched around here and there BBE, a Boss SD-1, EH LPB1 and I have now been digging my Digitech Hardwire tube overdrive. I like having the ultra clean tone of the guitar to amp, then add a little OD as a boost/color, then for the real hair I use an older MIJ Boss HM-2 in the OBEL, which really is a great distortion pedal for me.

For me, the usual one knob boost pedals add too much high end and can be too "sharp" in my rig. Our rhythm guitar player has an expensive boutique boost pedal I think sounds the same, too many nails on a chalk board for my taste. With having a super clean, loud and high treble rig, the boost pedals push my tone into "the pierce your brain tone" for me, but it sure cuts through the mix.

I like something with more EQ options, I may put my boss EQ to work as a boost soon.

Yeah I like the BBE Boosta Grande for the most part. Depending on the venue I do have to do some tweaking to round out the potentially extreme sharpness. But it's so worth oomph, as inthedark put it. So yeah I leave the BBE on and I'm pairing that with the Hardwire Tube Overdrive, which I can't say enough good things about. Far beyond my expectations.

I use the volume knob too, that is not the thing I think we are talking about, its more about the tone you get from having a boost in the chain... like a buffer it seems to push the system to a better place. My last post I have put the tube OD up, the lpb1 up and put my SD1 w/ the EQ in the OBEL. It is set about the same volume but it is a different take on a slightly clipped amp tone, better at cutting through during solos, me thinks.

Yea, I hear what you're sayin, JonnyBoy. I've been able to learn to use my pick attack and the guitar volume somehow. Mostly pick attack, though. Also, If the other players are aware and insink with the phrasing of the song, that helps me alot too.

I have a 'blaster on the FrankenWolf - it boost's the heck outta the signal !I dont think I will ever get to crank my Twin .....I have 2 Blues Drivers ... one is a kinda like a Boost but with some gain ... the other is for the over top stuff like Minglewood or Samson .... lots of gain They do impart their own tone but I think they are great lil pedals for the Dead ....